Basketball in Africa

HIGH-SCORING wins were registered in Men’s Division One matches played over the weekend at the Palais des Sports as the big three – Premium Cobras, Baya and PLS Hawks – extended their winning streaks.

Premium Cobras 126 … Razors 48

SOLOMON … 42-point performance for Premium CobrasTHE 126-48 win was the biggest victory margin so far this year in the top flight as Alao Solomon had another 40+ match for former champions Premium Cobras.
On Sunday, the Nigerian shooting guard finished with 42 points, making him Premium Cobras’ and the league’s best scorer so far with 161 points in four matches.
Averaging 40 points per match, Solomon also scored 34 in the 96-57 win against Cascade Bullets, 46 in the 97-58 win over Praslin Warriors and 39 in the 88-68 victory against MBU Rockers.
The Cobras had another six players – Dominic Pillay (21), Steve Allisop (18), Abdel Sylla (12), skipper and playmaker Tony Moustache (11), Steve Servina (10) and Biko Biong (10) – scoring in double figures as they won all four quarters, 34-13, 31-10, 31-8 and 30-17.
A volleyballer with Premium Spikers, Ricky Vel finished with 17 points to lead the Razors who find themselves on a razor’s edge after losing for the third time in four games. Their only win was against fellow strugglers Cascade Bullets on an 85-76 score.
The previous highest win was registered by PLS Hawks against Beau Vallon Heat on a 115-50 score.

PLS Hawks 83 … Cascade Bullets 53

With a depleted squad, the Bullets wanted to surprise Indian Ocean Club Championship runners-up PLS Hawks, but they came up short after holding the defending champions for more than 25 minutes.
PLS Hawks’ coach Tony Juliette was not happy with what he saw on the court and had to bark instructions from the sidelines and he even regrouped his players during a time-out to rethink tactics as Cascade Bullets were playing on a par with them.
After trailing 31-34 at half-time and 41-43 midway through the third quarter, the Bullets were thinking of getting their first win in four outings but they probably forgot that the Hawks could move up a gear.
This is exactly what happened and the Hawks won the third and fourth quarters, 24-11 and 25-11, to close the game at 83-53.
Veteran power forward and captain Jim Domingue led the Hawks in scoring with 19 points, with Rodney Lozé (14), Neddy ‘Oye’ Fanchette (13) and Bernard Bristol (12, all from 3-point range) combining for 39 points.
Bullets skipper Kenneth Sophie led all scores with 21 points which went to waste in the defeat.

Beau Vallon Heat 41 … MBU Rockers 91

Like Cascade Bullets, Beau Vallon Heat are also without a win in four games and their latest loss was at the hands of MBU Rockers, who rediscovered the winning feeling after losing to Premium Cobras the weekend before.
The Rockers were always in control of the match, winning all four quarters, 22-8, 28-11, 19-14 and 22-8, as they won by a 50-point margin.
Coach Alvin Alcindor’s MBU Rockers were led in scoring by swingman Cyril Agrippine with 21 points, while playmaker Nigel Sinon (15) and Nigel Henriette (16) also scored in double digits.
Cliff Furneau and Tony ‘General’ Barbé had 10 points each for the Heat, who need to start winning if they are to survive in the top flight.

Praslin Warriors 65 … RC Dynamics 71

After getting a win in their second match on a 70-66 score against the Razors, Praslin Warriors went back to losing, this time against RC Dynamics, who got 20 points, including two 3-pointers from Kenneth Domingue.
Captain Tony Marday added 11 points in the win for RC Dynamics, who trailed 11-15 at the end of the first quarter but won the other three 18-16, 22-18 and 20-16. This was their first win in three games.
Ryan Volcère had the hot hands for the Warriors with 17 points, 12 of which came from 3-point range.

Baya 92 … Angels 64

Baya extended their winning streak to four games by steamrolling Angels 92-64 on the back of 19 points from both centre Robert Léon and shooting guard Jean-Paul ‘JP’ Camille.
Nigel Cafrine came off the substitutes’ bench to get 17 points, while playmaker Giovanni Laval added 13, including three treys.
Coach Michel Malbrook was back on the bench after missing two games while on regional mission with women’s team Anse Etoile Stars, and his Baya team entirely dominated the match, winning all four 10-minute spells, 26-13, 17-16, 23-19 and 26-16.
Collin Japhet and Barry Dubignon had 13 points apiece to lead Angels, whose usual high scorers Daniel Dodin and Darren Lesperance were kept silent.
Meanwhile, in a Men’s Division Two match, RA Herons beat LMS Youth 55-38.

G. G.